Public, private schools share top 4 positions
By Bernard Gitau and Roy Lumbe
Public schools have matched their private counterparts in the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam results, securing two out of the four top positions.
Girls secured top positions in public schools with Flavian Onyango of Chakol Girls and June Cheptoo Koech of Sang’alo Central both scoring 439 marks.
The two followed top candidate Andy Michael Munyiri of Damacrest Schools, Thogoto, Kiambu county, who scored 440 marks.
The two girls tied in the second position with Sean Michael Ndung’u of Kitengela International School who scored 439 marks as well.
A total of 1,056,761 candidates sat this year’s KCPE exam compared to 1,083,456 in 2018.
Speaking yesterday at the Kenya National Examinations Council headquarters during the release of the results, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha praised the success of the free primary education programme.
Free education plan
“That public school candidates matched their private school candidates is proof that our Free Primary Education programme has come of age,” he said.
He said the improved performance and teachers excelling in public schools was recorded in spite of the higher enrolment.
“Everything is being done to ensure infrastructure is expanded in order to cater for 100 per cent transition,” Magoha said.
In September, the minister ordered the closure of schools with unsafe infrastructure after the collapse of classrooms at Precious Talents Top School in Dagoretti South, Nairobi, that claimed the lives of eight pupils.
The crackdown saw tens of schools, mostly private ones, closed and pupils transferred to nearby public schools.
Meanwhile, private schools in Nakuru county maintained their tradition of excellent performance compared to their public counterparts as they came out top in this year’s KCSE examinations.
In Gilgil sub-county, academic giants produced some of the best candidates with Gilgil Hills Schools producing the best student, Precious Nyogesa, who scored 436 marks followed by Michael Odero with 433 marks.
